TITLE hopes hang in the balance after Kidderminster Victoria CC suffered contrasting results in the Birmingham and District League Premier Division over the Bank Holiday weekend.

Kidderminster made the perfect start by defeating West Bromwich Dartmouth on Saturday, but a 139 run loss to the new leaders Walsall left the Chester Road side with a mountain to climb.

With three games to go KVCC lie sixth in the table but are only 31 points behind table-topping Walsall.

Captain Jonathan Wright has urged the team to keep the pressure on the Black Country side.

"We went into the Walsall game on the back of an excellent win but we were out bowled, batted and out fought," said the captain.

"Teams lose sometimes but the most disappointing aspect of it was the manner of our defeat.

"I always believed that whoever won two games over the weekend would be favourites and Walsall have a new kind of pressure now.

"All we can do is hang onto their coat tails and be ready to take advantage if they slip up."

On Saturday Kidderminster saw off West Bromwich Dartmouth by three wickets to give their title hopes a shot in the arm.

Kiwi pace bowler Kevin Forde made an early breakthrough when he caught and bowled opener Stephen Moreton (14).

Matt Brace then caught Kish Patel (9) off Ted Baylis' delivery as Dartmouth struggled to 78-2 by the 24th over.

Baylis removed opener Nikhil Vaydia (46) and Brace, who took 19-2, removed Sheikh (15), before he had Ruki De Silva caught by wicketkeeper Josh Knappett for 15 runs.

Kidderminster had Dartmouth reduced to 154-7 when Wright caught Khan (13) but a stand of 60 by Jonathan Heardman and Kasir Shah guided the Black Country side to 214-8.

Kidderminster made a slow start to their reply and Craig Wood was trapped lbw by Shah for one run.

Will Gifford went cheaply when he was bowled by Sheikh for 16, as Kidderminster slipped to 39-2.

Mark Mansell kept the runs coming before Heardman dismissed him for 30 and when James Taylor was removed by Shah for 13 Kidderminster looked in trouble on 88-4.

But Knappett and Wright defiantly dug in and steered their team to 122 before the wicketkeeper was bowled by Moreton for 37.

The captain and Andy Siwicki (46) though continued the fight back and a stand of 80 edged Kidderminster near the winning target.

Tail-enders Baylis and Brace made sure their side reached 215-7.

Unfortunately Kidderminster could not repeat their success in a lacklustre performance against Walsall on Monday.

Walsall openers Chris Tranter and Paul Baker had put Kidderminster's bowlers to the sword by guiding them to 117 in 18 overs.

The stand was ended when Baker was ran out for 27 and when Tranter (71) was dismissed by Bayliss and Gerry Snyman was caught by Knappett off Wright Walsall had been reduced to 119-3.

But Nathan Round rescued his side with 53 runs as Walsall ended on 234-9.

Kidderminster were unable to match their opponent's good batting form and only Mansell (35) and Wright (17) reached double figures as the team was bowled out for 95 runs.

Kidderminster will be aiming to bounce back when they take on Kenilworth Wardens at home on Saturday (12pm start).